Chaos Carrier With A Broken Talent

Of the many rewards that the Lost Knight had for participants to choose from, none of them suited Ethan.

He needed the Element Spark, and this was the first time he had a real chance to get it.

Their conversation had been going on for several minutes, and Ethan understood the situation. All he needed was final confirmation.

"So, your old enemy locked you up here, and when you realized you couldn't escape on your own, you created the Thunder of Four Howls?"

The Lost Knight nodded.

"Yes, it turned out to be the best use of all the energy I had. At first, it only attracted monsters, but as soon as a few Carriers appeared, everything went well."

The rewards at the end of the trial were the Lost Knight's way of attracting new Carriers. Some rewards were created from energy, others were taken from fallen Carriers in previous trials.

In this way, he managed to create a method whereby several dozen Carriers would come to him every few months.

With his persona as a great swordsman, which was true, he was able to increase the popularity of the Thunder of Four Howls thanks to the people coming from the Hail of Swords.

Basically, it was an endless process.

In the nearby territories, the Rotten Forest and the Grim Peaks, no one had the reason or the ability to seize power over the Desolate Meadow while the Lost Knight was there.

He could continue to do this over and over again, each time handing out rewards and advice as an influential swordsman.

But... Why was he doing all this?

If a person wasn't insane, then every action had to have some reason, especially something as large-scale as the Thunder of Four Howls.

"You were looking for one Carrier, and it turned out to be me, right?"

"Yes. Chaos and darkness, only one other combination besides that would have suited me." The Lost Knight confirmed.

"Hmm? What's that?"

The Lost Knight waved his hand casually as if it were obvious.

"Chaos and light. Perhaps you thought of the girl who fought against your friend. If she had chaos, she would have been suitable as well. But that is a very rare combination."

The Lost Knight leaned forward, his eyes hidden behind his helmet becoming clearer, filling with detail.

"Just imagine how many Carriers made it to the end of the first Thunder of Four Howls? Hundreds, maybe even more, obviously I didn't remember every one."

Ethan nodded. He understood that the Lost Knight had been doing this for a long time, long enough for his patience to be wearing thin.

"But, most likely, there were other participants with suitable elements besides me. I mean, out of dozens, there are at best six left, like this time. Of the Carriers who died, surely someone had chaos with darkness/light, didn't they?"

"Sure, but if they didn't make it to the end, then there's no point. They won't be able to handle the next task. I fight each finalist and make them fight each other to see the will in their eyes."

The atmosphere became tense, indicating the seriousness of the Lost Knight.

"You are the first to fulfill all three conditions. That is why you are here, young man."

'That was stupid,' Ethan thought, looking at the Lost Knight through his half-empty glass. 'You should never show how much you value a deal in negotiations. It puts you at a disadvantage.'

Ethan was right, but the Lost Knight wasn't taking any chances.

Without a deal, he simply wouldn't let Ethan go, and if Ethan resisted, the Lost Knight would simply continue his search. He was prepared to wait.

"If you had to choose between me and Loena, who would you choose? Well, if her elements were compatible."

"Hah, you want to hear me praise you?"

"Just curious. I don't think I could defeat her. Klaus did it, but without your help, he would have died."

The Lost Knight shrugged.

"You. But I won't explain why. I didn't bring you here to praise you, but to make you an offer."

Click.

The Lost Knight snapped his fingers.

The table disappeared, along with the glasses. More than a hundred different treasures appeared out of nowhere — far more than the Lost Knight had offered at the end of the trial.

"Let's make a contract, Ethan."

Ethan frowned.

The first thing he remembered was Black Horn's black eye with three amber pupils. After that, Menir explained to him that Black Horn had most likely made a contract with a more powerful monster to gain that power.

"I'm not ready for that!" Ethan replied sharply, puzzling the Lost Knight. "I won't let you take my eye, my arm, or whatever you want!"

The Lost Knight was taken aback. He didn't understand what Ethan was talking about, but soon everything fell into place.

"Hahaha, Ethan, you misunderstood me. Although considering that you are a young First Rank Carrier, I should explain to you what is going on here. You saw another Carrier who had a monster eye, right?"

Ethan nodded in confirmation. He would never forget this. If it weren't for a Soul Stone, Black Horn would have killed both him and Menir.

"This is the Contract of Flesh. It is most often made between higher-ranked monsters and weaker creatures. Power in exchange for survival or some other service, each contract has its unique details."

The Lost Knight spread his arms wide.

"However, I am offering you something completely different."

Then, streams of light condensed in front of him, forming the stone slab. A sharp point of energy quickly scraped out the symbols that formed the basis of every such agreement between a monster and a human.

"Contract of Conquest!"

Ethan gulped, feeling the world's power emanating from the stone slab, not from the unfinished contract.

"And... What are the terms? What do I get in return?"

The Lost Knight grinned.

"Element Spark, for starters. One reward of your choice, like every finalist, and something special. In return, you'll help me get out of here. You'll destroy my shackles, Ethan.

"This contract will help us both. Who knows, maybe it will be the best decision of your life."